


Catalyst

by moonrise_espeon



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters: Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire | Pokemon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire Versions
Genre: Abusive Relationships, Action & Romance, F/M, slow burn???
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-11
Updated: 2019-04-21
Packaged: 2020-01-11 08:36:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,532
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18426942
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moonrise_espeon/pseuds/moonrise_espeon
Summary: Marissa decides to leave home for awhile. But a vacation to the Hoenn region is just the beginning of a life changing race to save the world.(Set in the ORAS timeline. There are some minor changes.)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> For Rosie. You have inspired me more than you'll ever know. This is a revival.

“Are _you_  in need of a getaway?”

A man in a bright blue floral shirt fixed his eyes on Marissa. He was inches from the TV screen itself, showing off his pearly whites with an ear-to-ear grin almost in 3D. He absolutely knew he could have anyone’s full attention in less than ten words.

“You certainly look like it to me!” the man boomed with an enthusiastic laugh. Finally he turned so that the landscape behind him was visible. A golden beach stretched as far as her eyes could see. The sun reflected off of deep sapphire waters and she could smell the fresh, salty air.

“This is only one thing on the list that I’ll be showing you today,” he continued, suddenly seated in what appeared to be a small cable car. “Endless beaches aren’t the only spectacular sight you will find on your visit. We also offer guided tours of an active volcano…” Now he was underwater. “Plenty of spots to dive! Enjoy a group outing or rent some gear just for yourself! Explore hidden caves and try to catch Pokemon that live on the seafloor…” Next, a glittering waterfall crashed into a crystal clear pool behind him. “Visit the historical site of Meteor Falls, which is full of rare and valuable stones… You may find some if you’re lucky.”

The screen flashed to a large outdoor market, then to a bustling shopping mall. “Fresh and locally grown fruits and vegetables!” he exclaims. “New herbal medicine! Exclusive and handmade home décor! Do I really have to say more?!” He smiled his too-big smile an inch from the camera once again. “Come and see Hoenn in all its glory as soon as you can. You will not be disappointed!”

As soon as the commercial ended, the TV went black. Marissa stared at the empty screen for a moment and then finally blinked, shaken out of her trance by the sudden silence in the room. She ran her fingers through her chocolate colored hair and let out a sigh. How long had she been sitting at the edge of the hotel bed in the dark? What was she going to do now?

A soft but firm mew came from the floor beside her and she looked down to see the large eyes of her Espeon gazing at her. A paw was draped over the TV remote.

Marissa patted the bed beside her and Espeon jumped up without hesitation, resting her forked tail on the girl’s shoulder. “I didn’t forget about you, love,” she promised the Pokemon. She stroked her partner's sleek lilac fur, still captivated by the images of what seemed like paradise. All of a sudden, she really wanted to lie down. It was the psychic type, without a doubt pressing at her mind and trying to encourage her to sleep. Marissa knew she was worried for her trainer’s wellbeing. Sleep had been almost avoiding her since she left him and the exhaustion weighed down on her like a Donphan sitting on her shoulders.

They curled up together on the plush hotel bed. “What do you think about a vacation, Espeon?” Marissa asked her companion. “Do you think it would be nice? I think we need to get out of here for a while.” Espeon hummed softly in agreement, closing her dark eyes. She continued to push at Marissa's brain, beginning to lull her to sleep.

“It’s settled then. A getaway is in store for us.”

Marissa hoped his eyes wouldn’t haunt her tonight.


	2. Chapter 2

Marissa found a lot of comfort in solitude. For a long time, she was only able to be herself when she was alone. Keeping up appearances for someone else’s reputation was exhausting beyond words... She had to look her best and act her best so that he could be his best. And his best was deceptive. Behind the muscled, well-groomed exterior was a man who thrived on controlling everything he could and that included her.

The morning after making the decision to take her leave from Johto, Marissa dressed casually, hiding behind large sunglasses; she trudged down the road to the local Pokemart to stock up on medicine and picked out the first box of hair dye that her eyes fell on. _I’m going for classic emotional breakdown, I suppose_ , she thought as she managed a half-assed smile at the familiar cashier and held out a hand for her change. “Have a good day, dear,” the older woman said to her. “That color will look stunning on you. See you next time.”

Marissa waved as she headed towards the automatic doors. A “see you next time” seemed a little too casual for her to return. “Thank you, Mary. Take care.”

Back at the hotel, Marissa slathered the color over the length of her hair and clipped it to the top of her head to let it develop before starting on her appearance. Espeon lounged in the morning sunlight, purring contentedly, eyes closed. It was the fourth day of their stay at the Olivine Oceanside Inn and it would be the last. After a half hour of doing her makeup, she was rinsing her hair when the sudden ring of her Pokegear made her jump into the air like a startled Buneary. Espeon sat straight up immediately. The feline Pokemon was clearly annoyed at the interruption. Desperate to silence the disturbance, Marissa tore through her bag to find the device.

The screen displayed the one name she wished she could erase from her memory. After staring in disbelief, she hit the ignore button and powered off the device so that she could bury it back under her belongings. Surely a few more calls would follow and she wanted to miss every single one of them.

“We’re going to see Mom, pretty girl,” Marissa called to Espeon as she toweled her hair dry. “And then we are out of here.”

* * *

 

“You changed your hair!” her mother exclaimed. A very excited Houndour ran in circles around Marissa’s feet, yipping for attention. “Did you really come all the way from Blackthorn to show off your new hair to me or did you miss me that much?”

The house hadn’t changed a bit. The walls were the same comforting, pale brown that she always knew. Every curtain was open to invite the sunlight into the house. Mail was scattered along the dining room table, mostly Marissa’s, opened and forgotten. She found it quite funny that her mother was such a neat freak but was seemingly unbothered by the cluttered dining room table.

Marissa cracked a weak smile. “Both, but mostly the second one.” She glanced at her reflection in the window. Her chocolate hair had been replaced by a deep red-violet hue. “Actually, mom,” she continued, “I was staying in Olivine at a hotel for a few days...”

“Where’s your other half?” Her mom patted the seat next to her on the couch, inviting Marissa to sit as she picked up on the change of tone. Concerned brown eyes searched her daughter’s face. “Did something happen?”

“He’s… well, I don’t know where he is. Probably looking for me as I haven’t spoken to him in days,” Marissa admitted. “Mom, I’m sorry for being so out of touch lately but I need to take some money out of my savings that you have for me.” She wasn’t in the mood to talk about it.

Her mother stood and disappeared briefly to retrieve a dark wooden box from the hall closet. “How much, honey? Do you need to pay for a week or so?” She opens the box and grabs a few hundred poke, barely enough to cover a week of summer rates in a port city like Olivine.

“All of it.”

Upon hearing her daughter’s reply, Marissa’s mother almost dropped the entire box of savings on the hardwood floor. “Why do you want all of your money?” she asked, her voice laced with growing worry. “I don’t know what’s going on, honey, but you can come back here if you need to. I know you’re grown and on your own but this is always your house too.”

Marissa gently took the box from her mother’s hands and tried not to grimace at the thought of living back at her mother’s house in Cherrygrove City. “I love you, mom. I’ll call you when I figure everything out.”

* * *

 

Marissa spent the ferry ride flipping through the “VISIT HOENN!” booklet she picked up from the port before her departure. It was as if she was holding a hard copy of the commercial in her hands. Beautiful pictures were scattered along every single page and she was eager to take it all in herself. Six pokeballs twitched anxiously in the front pocket of her travelling bag, sensing the unfolding adventure that was in store for them. Marissa wished she could let her Pokemon out then and there to enjoy the sea breeze and watch as the ship approached the land.

She glanced down at her watch. One more hour until she would arrive on the coast of Hoenn to begin her next adventure with everything she needed and nothing she didn’t.


	3. 3

Marissa’s very first impression of Hoenn: it was hot.

For just a moment, she missed the temperate climate of her home; that one second caused doubt to flood over her like waves crashing onto shore, threatening to pull her out to sea. It took everything she had not to turn around and march back into the harbor building and fall back into the things she left behind. She had her money and she had her Pokemon, but Marissa was not ready for the emotional wreckage she would face when she stepped off of that ship and out onto the bustling streets of Slateport City.

It was grand. She took everything, from the path under her feet to the gray buildings towering over her head, in with awe. Although this city was not as large as Goldenrod City back home, for some reason she couldn’t pinpoint, it felt so much more… alive. The breeze was salty and delicious. Marissa’s stomach rumbled for the first time in days.

“Excuse me, miss. Could you not stand in front of the door? I’m running late.” A man interrupted her musings suddenly. He was dressed in a crisp brown suit and holding a briefcase. For some reason, her first thought was not to move out of his way, but to stare for a second as if her brain couldn’t register what he said.

 _He said move, you dumbass!_ Marissa’s face burned bright red as she finally stepped out of the man’s way and muttered a sheepish apology. As he flung open the door to the harbor building and rushed in, followed by what seemed like a sea of other people, she realized she should have at least held the door open.

Fortunately, a directory was a few steps away from her and out of the busy crowd. A large red X marked the harbor building where Marissa was. She quickly located the Pokemon Center and Mart and made a mental note of their location so she could visit later; the beach was directly south and she decided that would be her first destination. Her Pokeballs began twitching once more. Her team was ready to breathe Hoenn air.

Marissa weaved in and out of people for a good fifteen minutes before golden sands graced the edge of her vision. She could not wait to sip an ice cold soda, put her toes in the ocean, let her Pokemon get some fresh air… and try not to think about how mad he was that he couldn’t find her.

South of the city was Route 109. The beach was even more glorious than the city itself. Large red and white umbrellas dotted the endless sands, colorful little islands in the ocean of gold. Marissa took a moment to admire paradise and then headed towards a cute blue shack by the shore. Hand-painted flowers decorated the front and a sign above the door read “COLD DRINKS.” There were a few wooden tables, most of which were occupied, and the people glanced at her as she passed but otherwise paid her no mind except for one.

A sailor in a white and navy ensemble rose and shuffled his way directly in front of the door as she approached, his eyes scanning the entire length of her body. “Haven’t seen you here before,” he stated, crossing his arms. “What’s your name?”

“Marissa,” she answered shortly, confused. Why wasn’t this man letting her inside?

“Nice to meet you, lass. My name is Huey. I’m guessing you’re new around here.”

“Fresh off the ferry,” she said, feeling awkward at the prolonged eye contact. “Is there a reason you’re standing in front of the door?”

He let out a hearty laugh and adjusted his crooked hat. “Of course!” he exclaimed. “I’m standing here because you’ll have to defeat me in battle to enter the Seashore House! Unless, wherever you come from… that’s not acceptable?”

A fire began to stir in the pit of Marissa’s stomach and she grinned. A battle! What else would satisfy a trainer more than a battle to welcome them into a new place? As anxious as she felt, she was excited at the thought of a Pokemon battle with this sailor. Surely it would lift her spirits.

“Bring it on! This will be one you’ll remember!” Marissa pulled a ball from the front pocket of her bag. A small crowd had gathered around the wooden tables, sodas in hand, murmuring to each other and betting on the outcome.

“Who is that girl?” a younger voice asked.

“Huey’s turned many away from here! I’m sure she won’t be expecting what he’ll dish out!” another called.

“Let’s do this! Pelipper, let’s give her a good time!” cried the sailor, tossing his ball high into the air. From it appeared a white-feathered bird Pokemon that Marissa had never seen before. She took a moment to observe its huge yellow beak. It looked like it could swallow her whole!

It was her turn to send out a partner and the crowd was waiting. Marissa drew back her arm. “It’s time to shine, Azumarill!” Her faithful Pokemon burst out with a battle cry, landing expertly and surveying her opponent. Marissa was more than certain that her water and fairy type could hold her ground against this flying type.

Huey made his move right away. “Wing Attack!” The Pelipper flapped its blue-tipped wings rapidly, sending a powerful gust of wind and sand right at Azumarill’s face, cawing loudly.

“Charge your way through and hit it with an Aqua Tail now!” Marissa commanded, fists clenched. She could not let him use the terrain to gain an upper hand so early. Azumarill braced herself and launched at the bird, bubble-like tail glowing a bright blue. The sand managed to slow her down some but Marissa’s Pokemon still connected with Pelipper. She could tell it didn’t do much damage but the impact sent it flying backwards into one of the wooden tables nearby.

The sailor was surprised. “That trick never fails me! That’s one hardy Azumarill! Are you okay, Pelipper?” His Pelipper shook off the impact and hovered over the sand once more with a nod. Azumarill glanced at Marissa, eyes full of excitement.

“That’s my girl!” praised Marissa. “Don’t take it easy on him! You better show him what we’re made of. Hit it with an Ice Beam, quick!”

“Get out of the way, Pelipper! Whip up some more sand!” The frozen beam narrowly missed the bird and it began to flap its large wings once more, hitting Azumarill square in the face with sand. Marissa’s Pokemon cried out, rubbing the sand from her eyes, and shot another Ice Beam at Pelipper. Despite the sailor’s cries to dodge the attack, the beam connected and sent it flying back once more. Pelipper didn’t recover as quickly from that and Marissa could tell that Azumarill had worn it down.

“Play Rough, Azumarill. Finish it off!”

“Hang in there, Pelipper! Try and hit it with Water Pulse!”

Marissa’s bulky Pokemon charged through the attack and tackled the bird into the sand, marking its defeat. Huey called the Pokemon back and readied his next one after the cloud of dust subsided.

“Let’s see if your fairy can hold up against Machoke!”

The bulky fighting type emerged, eyes narrowed at the Pokemon who had taken down its teammate. Marissa could tell that it would try to get its revenge very quickly. Azumarill was tired.

“Quick, Azumarill, get in an Aqua Tail!”

Her Pokemon charged once more, tail glowing. But as she swung around to hit the opposing Pokemon, Machoke grabbed ahold of Azumarill’s tail and flung her straight up towards the sky. The crowd around them gasped.

“Azumarillllll!” She was terrified, hurtling towards the ground now at a high speed. Machoke looked satisfied with itself, looking to its trainer for its next move.

“Thunder Punch, Machoke! Take it out!”

The fighting type met Azumarill midair and delivered a deadly electric punch. Azumarill landed right by Marissa’s feet with a cry. Machoke had successfully knocked her out. Marissa stroked her for a moment and returned her to ball. “Good job. You always put up a good fight.” She dug into her bag for her next Pokemon.

“Let’s go out with a bang! Go, Typhlosion! ”

Typhlosion and Machoke grappled for ages. The fighting type sure had impressive stamina and could hit very hard. Typhlosion was fast, trying his best not to let Machoke’s powerful fists connect with his body.

Marissa was breathing heavily. Sweat poured down her face as she commanded her Pokemon. This was more intense than she thought her first Hoenn battle would be. She fought her way through Johto and almost nothing could take her team down, but there was something different about the fighting spirit here and she wanted more of it.

In the end, she came out victorious after Typhlosion’s Flamethrower singed Machoke and marked its defeat. The crowd cheered, pleased with the intensity and outcome of the battle. Marissa was too. Typhlosion received a well-deserved scratch behind the ears before returning to his ball.

“That was impressive, lass,” the sailor congratulated. “Your confidence surprised me. Thank you for an amazing battle.” He reached for her hand and gave it a shake before handing her the prize money for her victory. “You have quite the team travelling with you.”

“Thank you. I wouldn’t be where I am today without them,” Marissa answered confidently. “May I have a drink now?”

The sailor laughs with the same spirit he had before their battle. “Of course! Come right in and enjoy the air conditioning.” He opened the door for Marissa and she hurried inside. A gust of cool air hit her and she sighed in relief. The inside of the shack was bright and welcoming. The same flowers that decorated the front dotted the walls and there were pictures of the beach above every table.

“Welcome in!” The man behind the counter waved to Marissa with a huge smile. “I was watching you from inside. I knew Huey wouldn’t stand a chance.” He winked at her and set a huge bottle of ice cold soda pop on the counter.

“On the house. Congratulations on your fiery victory!”

Marissa thanked the man profusely and when he turned away, she made sure to slip a generous tip into the jar on the counter next to the register. She walked out of the Seashore House feeling like she could conquer anything.

Maybe she could.


	4. Chapter 4

The sky was a vivid display of pinks and oranges as Marissa walked back through Slateport City to the Pokemon Center. The streets were somewhat empty now. A few people dotted the sidewalks and she noticed a couple from her audience before: a middle aged man and a little girl that couldn’t be older than seven. She grinned up at Marissa as she drew near.

“Daddy, there’s the girl with my favorite Pokemon!”

_How precious,_ Marissa thought. _I’ve managed to make a fan._ “My name is Marissa,” she said, kneeling and offering a hand to the child. “What’s yours?” The girl grabbed both of her hands in excitement. Short brown pigtails bounced as she jumped up and down. “Violet!” the child answered. The man that Marissa assumed was her father placed a hand on her shoulder to still her. “Your Azumarill was so good and strong! I can’t wait for my Marill to be strong one day, too.”

“Thank you, that’s nice of you to say.” Marissa found herself smiling in return at Violet, touched by the genuine excitement that radiated from her. “I’m sure she would love to meet you and give you a hug for saying that, but she’s a little tired right now. I’m going to give her a rest.” She stood and adjusted her bag, turning towards the girl’s father.

“Very good battle,” the man complimented with a nod of respect. “Come along now Violet, say goodbye. It’s almost time for dinner.”

“Okay, bye Marissa! Bye Azumarill!”

Marissa continued walking and finally reached the Pokemon Center. Nurse Joy welcomed her inside with a wave and a sweet but tired looking smile.

“How are you this evening, dear?” Nurse Joy asked, gathering Marissa’s balls to place in the machine.

“I’m well, I suppose, and yourself?”

“Wonderful, thank you for asking,” she replied, turning to the Center’s machine. “Are you, by chance, the girl who battled at the Seashore House earlier?” A few beeps emitted from the machine and a low hum signaled the healing of Marissa’s Pokemon.

“Word travels fast around here, I see,” Marissa answered.

“Slateport is a city that draws many varieties of people, mostly due to the market by the beach and the Contest Spectacular hall at the northern end of the city." Nurse Joy explained. “But it’s not every day that someone new strolls onto the beach and defeats one of the city’s infamous sailors. We get a lot of beginners due to the route the League takes Hoenn challengers and the sailors tend to scare them off quite easily most of the time. Just before sunset, a group of teenage trainers were in here going on about a fierce, blazing Pokemon they had never seen before and the girl that commanded it so well in battle.”

“I’m… vacationing from Johto,” Marissa said with a smile. _I’m isolating myself and running away from my problems..._  “It’s just my first day here and I definitely didn’t expect to make any kinds of impressions.”

Nurse Joy chuckled. “It appears that you did, dear. Did you take part in the League challenge over in Johto?” Marissa nodded. “And how far did you go?”

“I did earn my Glacier Badge,” Marissa said. She always felt awkward while speaking about her accomplishments. She took a lot of pride in her team’s hard work; however, she refused to believe the number of badges she possessed made her better than other trainers.

“Did you try for the championship?”

Her gut twisted slightly. “After my seventh badge, I got a little sidetracked…” She trailed off, regret tugging at her insides. “I guess I wouldn’t have earned the title anyway.”

The humming of the center’s machine faded away. Marissa’s Pokemon were ready to go.

“Nonsense,” Nurse Joy said as she removed the Pokeballs from the healing machine and placed them one by one on the shiny countertop for Marissa to grab. She held the girl’s gaze for a moment before adding, “Regardless, I think you would be a formidable opponent to the gym leaders and the League here.”

“The Hoenn League,” Marissa breathed. “I didn’t even think of it, honestly.”

After all of her Pokeballs were back in the front pocket of her bag, Nurse Joy winked and slid a key card across the counter to her. “This is the last available one for the night and it’s yours. Please get some rest. I hope the rest of your vacation goes well.”

Marissa thanked the nurse profusely before turning and heading up the stairs to find her room.

* * *

 

Sleep would once again avoid her tonight, much like a Caterpie would a Pidgey.

Marissa stretched out on the small bed in the Pokemon Center’s room, badge case in her hand. The soft moonlight filtered through the window, reflecting off of the badges and causing light to dapple the ceiling like stars. As she ran her fingers across each small trophy, the memories flooded back to her.

In Violet City, a fluffy Mareep took down Falkner’s prized birds with ease. Marissa received a small jolt after giving the electric Pokemon a careless celebratory hug. Cyndaquil singed his way through Bugsy’s tough bugs to earn her the Hive Badge of Azalea Town, and he came out of the battle a victorious Quilava. In Goldenrod City, Whitney’s Miltank threatened to mop the floor with her Bayleef but her fighting spirit overcame the notoriously hardy Pokemon.

Espeon was a determined little Eevee when Marissa challenged Morty for the Fog Badge but ultimately stood no chance against his ghosts... She recalled it being one of the most difficult battles she ever had. With no type advantages, she almost threw in the towel, but her whole team worked hard to finally defeat the gym leader after a second attempt. It was that day that Marissa stepped into the sunlight, badge in hand, and watched Eevee become a breathtaking Espeon.

Chuck of Cianwood City was a soft summer breeze compared to her struggle against Morty. The muscular man stood in awe as her newly evolved Pokemon crippled his fighting types with psychic energy. Espeon’s power had both amazed and frightened her that day.

Marissa recalled meeting one of the sweetest, most selfless people in Olivine City. Quiet Jasmine refused to take on challengers until the Ampharos that resided in the lighthouse was feeling better. Her own Ampharos grieved at the sight of another in pain, so she offered to travel across the sea to get the cure. Jasmine showed her gratitude by unleashing her fierce steel types upon Marissa’s return. Somehow, Marissa managed to leave that day with the Mineral Badge.

Mahogany Town held bittersweet memories for her. It was where she met him.

She pushed the moment out of her mind and admired the way the Glacier Badge glimmered in the moonlight. She swore the badge felt as cold as the ice inside of the gym.

_This was the end,_ Marissa thought. _This where I let it all go. And for what?_

She closed the case with a loud snap and set it on the floor next to her. Nurse Joy’s words replayed in her mind a few times and she decided to give her vacation another purpose. Maybe Marissa couldn’t go back and finish the Johto League challenge, at least not then. But she would redeem herself here. She and her team would conquer the Hoenn League. At least, they would try.

Maybe she could find herself again along the way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thinking about tagging this as a slow burn... I'm trying to thoroughly develop her backstory but I don't want to drag things out too long. I hope the internal monologue helped explain her background a little bit more. Next she heads to Rustboro City to start her Hoenn League challenge! More action to come, I promise.


	5. Chapter 5

            After a restless sleep, Marissa spent most of the following morning developing her plan to challenge the Hoenn League. She studied the large Hoenn map on the wall of the Pokemon Center as if she were preparing for an exam. She had a finger on the red X that marked her current spot in Slateport City. She found Rustboro City to the northwest, and it seemed very far away.

            Marissa dragged her finger from Slateport City to Rustboro City and back a few times before stepping away with a sigh. The discomfort of unfamiliarity nagged at her again. The nurse at the station, a different one from yesterday, caught her eye. “Can I help you with anything?” she called with a characteristic smile. Marissa’s cheeks flushed with embarrassment. She had no idea how long she had been squinting at the map as if she couldn’t read at all.

            “That would be nice,” she admitted, approaching the counter. “Would you be able to tell me the easiest way to get to Rustboro City from here? I’m not too familiar with the routes.”

            Nurse Joy smiled sympathetically. “It is a bit of a trip but if you’re well prepared it shouldn’t take too long. A strong flying Pokemon should be able to handle most of the trip easily, if you’re able to fly. Or, if you’re up for the scenic route and you have a water type, you can head north from here to Route 110 and surf across the bay to the west, which is Route 103. That will bring you to Oldale Town.” The Nurse reached under the counter and produced a paper copy of the regional map to set on the counter. She pointed a finger at a small blue dot west of Slateport City. “This is Oldale Town,” she continued, and moved her finger further west to a larger red mark. “Route 102 connects to Petalburg City, and from there it’s just a matter of finding your way through Petalburg Woods and a short walk north on Route 104 and you’ll be in Rustboro City.”

            _Wow, that’s a lot_. Marissa opened her mouth to thank Nurse Joy when a younger trainer rushed through the doors with a shout, clutching a ball to his chest.

            “Please help my Pokemon, he’s hurt!”

            The smile disappeared from Nurse Joy’s face and was replaced with a serious look as she pressed the map into Marissa’s hands. “You keep this, dear. Duty calls. Good luck!”

            Marissa stepped out of the way to let the nurse cater to the distressed boy’s Pokemon. She pulled Espeon’s ball out of her bag and walked out of the Pokemon Center into the warm Hoenn sun. The towering gray buildings created jagged shadows along the streets, which were much less busy than they had been upon her arrival the previous day. A second later, the slender psychic type appeared beside her on the sidewalk, letting out a satisfied purr as her deep amethyst eyes stared up at her trainer.

            “Welcome to Hoenn, my love,” Marissa greeted. Espeon took a moment to survey her environment, sensing the air. “I’m sorry I didn’t choose a more… spectacular view for your first one, but I think the city is as stunning as some of the nature we’ll be seeing.”

            Espeon mewed in agreement. Her long forked tail twitched and then found its usual spot touching Marissa’s leg.

            “We are headed north,” Marissa told her Pokemon. “I hope you’re ready for some exercise!”

            Her Pokemon started off before her a bit. Her impeccable sense of direction would undoubtedly prevent them from getting lost while passing through the buildings to find their way out of the city.

* * *

 

            Marissa paused for a moment to take in her first sight of Hoenn’s landscape.

            It was all beautiful and green. A soft wind rustled through the trees that lined the wide path ahead of her. To her left, a little farther ahead, she saw a familiar cluster of tall, lush grass, surely full of wild Pokemon. What almost appeared to be a highway of some sort rose above the route, stretching to the north across the water. An athletic-looking individual exited a small building at its beginning while pushing a sporty bike and she realized it was a cycling road. Espeon was breathing deeply to taste the air, enjoying the breeze.

            After a moment they continued walking. Marissa could hear the chirping of bird Pokemon she didn’t recognize somewhere in the trees. It didn’t sound at all like the Pelipper she had met in battle the previous day and that intrigued her. It started softly but the sound grew louder as she approached the tall grass.

            “Let’s go see what that is.” She was eager to see some more native Hoenn species. Johto didn’t offer a large variety of flying type Pokemon and Marissa was very, very bored with the abundance of Pidgeys.

            As Marissa began to push her way through the tall grass, the chirping stopped completely and she thought she must have scared whatever was making the sound into silence… but she was wrong.

            Without a warning, a winged figure burst from the trees and was heading straight for Marissa’s head.

            “Shit!”

            The girl narrowly ducked in time to avoid the angry little bird’s attack. She could barely make out the Pokemon’s appearance but it was fast and it was very upset that she had ventured so close to its home in the trees. It hovered in the air for a moment and Marissa was able to study: it was tiny and red-faced with deep blue wings and a white underside. Narrow brown eyes focued on her Espeon with a displeased chirp and it dove towards her.

            “Swift, Espeon!” _What a gutsy little thing!_ Marissa thought in astonishment.

            The Pokemon’s ruby jewel began to glow and she shot a beam of stars at the angry little bird. It tried to dodge, but the attack clipped its wing and it cried out before flying to attack again. “Hit it with another Swift!” Marissa called, and Espeon obeyed, firing stars at the tiny Pokemon once more. After a few more exchanges the irritated blue bird gave up, disappearing over the tree tops.

            Espeon shook out her fur and Marissa breathed a sigh of relief. “That was fun.”

            They continued on. Thankfully, no more tiny angry birds tried to assault the pair. Marissa kept her eyes peeled for more Hoenn Pokemon; she was able to see what looked like a couple of Pikachu scurry between the patches of grass on the route but other than that it was a quiet day on Route 110. Finally she came to the end of the northern path. To her right there was a long, bending path that ran along the water underneath the tall cycling road, lined with more hiding spots for Pokemon. That was probably where they all were. To her left a sign marked Route 103. The sun glittered off of the deep blue water down the path.

            The only trainers she saw as she walked towards the water were fishermen. Stereotypically, they were pretty easygoing trainers unless you interrupted their fishing but she wanted to stay quiet and appear uninterested just in case they possessed the same fighting spirit of the sailor she met yesterday. They paid her no mind as she walked to the edge of the water to debate on surfing.

            Marissa couldn’t be bothered with getting soaked while Azumarill dragged her across the somewhat small bay so out came her trusty flier and the second Pokemon she ever caught: her Pidgeot. He cawed in delight as he materialized in front of her, stretching his wings to display his glossy feathers. After returning Espeon and giving the large bird a scratch under his beak, he carried her across the bay to the other side of the route.

            The western side of Route 103 was almost silent except for the wind rustling the trees and the faint chatter of wild Pokemon. The whole route was scattered with trees and patches of tall grass and sloped downward to a narrow path that Marissa assumed led to the town. She started towards it. Her stomach began to rumble and she couldn’t remember the last thing she had eaten. Maybe something before the ferry ride here, which was over a day ago at that point...

* * *

 

_Oldale Town. Finally._

The town was quaint with only a few houses, a Pokemart, and a Pokemon Center, of course. The most interesting thing was the large floral display in the center of town; a sweet aroma wafted on the breeze. Marissa grabbed a few familiar pastries from the mart and sat on a bench to enjoy her snacks.

            As she reached into her bag for Espeon’s ball to release her again, her hand closed around her forgotten Pokegear that she had turned off before her departure. Marissa realized she had forgotten to call her mom. After powering on the device, two little messages popped up on the screen.

            _2 missed calls: Mom._

_5 missed calls: Do Not Answer._

Marissa snorted with annoyance and tossed Espeon’s ball in the air so the Pokemon could walk beside her once more. Despite being fairly short, Marissa could cover a lot of ground quite quickly and she aimed to be in Petalburg City by nightfall.

            Route 102 was littered with trainers. A few were battling with each other, but Marissa managed to catch the eye of a young boy with a bright yellow shirt. He marched right up to her, eyes gleaming.

            “You know what it means when we lock eyes!” he said, drawing a ball from his pocket. “We have to battle!”

            Marissa nodded to Espeon, who stood tall and ready for her Hoenn battle debut. “This is my partner, Espeon,” she answered, “and we’re more than ready to accept!”

            With a whoop, the boy tossed his ball high in the air. “Go, Linoone!” From it emerged a long Pokemon with brown-striped white fur and long, sharp claws. Its piercing blue eyes stared down Marissa’s Espeon. It reminded her of a smaller but fiercer-looking Furrett.

            The young trainer wasted no time, commanding the Linoone to attack with Slash. In a flash, it was rushing towards her Pokemon. It was incredibly fast and raked its long claws down Espeon’s side before she could dodge it. The psychic type cried out and jumped back, flattening her ears angrily and waiting for Marissa to tell her what to do.

            “Psychic, now!”

            Espeon cried out and unleashed her crippling power on the opposing Pokemon. The boy stomped his feet as his Linoone was immobilized by the attack. “Come on, Linoone!” he cried. “Snap out of it!”

            Espeon let up her attack, looking quite pleased with the amount of damage she was able to cause once she could slow Linoone down. The Pokemon obviously possessed great speed and attack but its defenses were lacking. Marissa used this to her advantage, commanding Espeon to immobilize Linoone whenever she could put enough distance between her and the other Pokemon.

            “Finish them off with Swift, Espeon!”

             Finally, Linoone collapsed, exhausted. Most average Pokemon had a hard time standing up to a few of Espeon’s hard hitting psychic attacks, and while it was very fast and did good damage to Marissa’s Pokemon, she had the strategy figured out in minutes.

            Marissa held out her hand to the boy, and he shook her hand firmly and handed her his share of prize money. “We’ll beat you next time!” he said. Marissa could tell he was a little sad but determined. “I’ll train my Linoone to dodge those attacks! We’re going to challenge the League one day!”

            She grinned and went on her way. By the time they had finished her battle, the remaining young trainers had disappeared, probably headed home for the night. The sun had set, and the wooded route was dim. Marissa heard the faint buzz of a few bug Pokemon as fatigue began to set in and she hoped it wasn’t too much father to the Pokemon Center.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope this wasn't too boring of an introduction! Thanks for beginning this journey with me.


End file.
